


hey, asthma boy!

by peterandhispirate



Category: Twenty One Pilots, joshler - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asthmatic Josh, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fat Shaming, Homophobic Language, M/M, josh is like hella soft, tyler thinks he's slick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-25 09:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7526947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peterandhispirate/pseuds/peterandhispirate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh was about this close to bruising his knuckles on Tyler Joseph's smug, pretty face.</p>
<p>But he didn't like punching people, so he'd have to resort to different tactics.</p>
            </blockquote>





	hey, asthma boy!

**Author's Note:**

> hello, welcome to hell.
> 
> this is going to be gay as fuck and there's going to be some angst but it's mostly just two gay idiots who are bad with words and feelings. 
> 
> it's also safe to say that the idea of this (whatever it is) came to me while i was playing pokémon go.
> 
> buckle up and enjoy, frens; don't be afraid to send some feedback my way!

Josh knew that he wasn't exactly football team material.

Or baseball team material, or soccer team material or- yeah, okay, you get the picture.

Because Josh Dun was soft-edged, because Josh Dun needed an inhaler, because Josh Dun didn't really have abs or muscles or lungs that _worked fucking correctly._

And maybe that didn't really bother him as much as it used to. He had picked himself apart all throughout middle school and by the end of freshman year, he just really couldn't find himself caring anymore.

And, yeah, maybe the lean, hard-muscled fuckboys dug their pointer fingers into his soft stomach and sneered and chuckled, but he wouldn't give them the satisfaction of lashing out, of proving they got under his sensitive skin.

That brings us around to Tyler Robert Joseph, captain of the ~~basketball team~~ assholes and source of everything bad in the world: dead puppies, terminal diseases, that sort of thing.

Let's just say that he wasn't exactly Josh's best buddy, and for good reason:

_"Hey, Dun! That sweater ain't hiding_ shit _."_

_"Surprised you haven't dyed your hair rainbow yet, gay boy."_

_"Bet you couldn't dribble a ball if you tried."_

And then all of Joseph's little asshole friends would snicker and high-five and leave the target of their cruelty with cheeks pink enough to upstage a rose.

When Tyler was feeling particularly brutal, he'd do what the others did: dig his fingertips into Josh's soft, sensitive underbelly and poke and prod and laugh.

So, yeah, Josh hated Tyler and Tyler clearly hated Josh. That's how it had been since day one, and neither boys would be surprised if the story ended the same way.

 

"Hey, asthma boy! What do you call a-"

"Please be quiet, Joseph."

"Oo, and he speaks at last." Tyler practically had him cornered, pinned: leaning forward with a devilish smile as Josh clutched his textbooks against his stomach, back pressed up against the lockers. "Too bad he's no less of a pussy when he talks."

Josh was about this close to bruising his knuckles on Tyler Joseph's smug, pretty face.

But he didn't like punching people, so he'd have to resort to different tactics.

"Hey, basketball boy: what do you call an asshole with fucked-up bottom teeth and nonexistent balls?" His voice trembled involuntarily, but Tyler's stunned expression egged him on. "Tyler Joseph."

Silence. Sweet, shocked silence.

"I oughta fucking- you tubby gay bastard, I-" Tyler was choking, crumbling; his friends knew it, because they slowly melted out of the background, knowing full well that he was beyond help.

Josh, certain that he was going to get fucking torn apart, almost regretted it.

_Almost_.

"Whatever, Dun. You're not worth my time, you're not- you're not worth _anyone's_ time." Tyler swatted the books Josh had been using to shield his fleshy stomach to the floor and was gone in a swirling tornado of fury.

Letting out a shaky _whoosh_ of air, Josh retrieved his scattered belongings and headed to third period with pride warming his insides and bubbling up in his chest for once.

He had upset Tyler Joseph: emotionless bastard, smirking demon, cocky asshole.

So sue him if that put a little saunter in his step for the rest of the day.

 

For a good two days, there was no one calling out _"hey, asthma boy!"_ or _"that shirt's a little tight, don't you think?"_

But, alas, all good things must come to an end- even if they're a blissful break from Tyler Joseph's wrath.

Somehow managing to tape his obliterated pride back together, Joseph wasted no time getting back to what he did best; telling himself that maybe he had deserved a (short) rest from putting up with Joshua Dun.

Yes, Joshua Dun, fluffy-haired and wide-eyed and pink-faced.

Tyler almost felt like a dick. ~~Almost~~.

By Thursday morning, he had Josh cornered and avoiding eye contact at all costs again.

"So, asthma boy, I've been thinking," he purred out, one slender hand braced against the lockers right above Josh's shoulder and a gleaming, ravenous look in his eyes.

It took everything in Josh's power not to reply with, "Well, that's new."

"You know, I really think I let you off easy last time..." the basketball captain continued, and never had a head-tilt looked so sinister. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"I- listen, Tyl- Joseph, I don't-"

"Careful, soft meat, don't hurt yourself," Tyler snorted airily, and for once, Josh's responsive wince actually bothered him. 

And, fuck, this was like kicking a puppy, wasn't it? A soft, sweet, shy puppy.

So he tossed all of his plans to threaten and taunt and tear apart said puppy out the window; instead, he glanced warily over one shoulder, inhaled sharply with relief when he saw no one hovering particularly close, and leaned close to mutter, "Just don't expect anymore chivalry in the future, okay?"

He saw Josh's Adam's apple bob as a mixed expression flitted across his wide-eyed, puppy-dog face: a little puzzled, a little relieved, and a little grateful.

(He would never admit to the last one.)

And, for once, Tyler walked away before sneering a few last words or slapping Josh's textbooks from his quivering hands.

 

"Hey, Ty, did you see Dun dyed his hair again? The kid's shooting for every color on the gay flag, apparently."

Tyler grunted an awkward "uh-huh" and continued to read over his English notes. Why didn't he care? He should care. He should be shouting "Josh Dun is a chubby gay boy" from the rooftops, but he doesn't _want_ to.

And, god, that was so new and strange and off-putting; not just for him, but for the other teenage boys practically foaming at the mouth, waiting for him to say something _awful_ , something degrading that he could later tell Josh in person.

But he didn't, and they were beside themselves with bitterness and disappointment.

"Tyler, you're not, like... _Pals_ with the fag, are you?" one piped up with narrowed eyes.

"What? No. God, no," Tyler huffed dismissively; it wasn't a lie, really, even if he mentally and immediately added afterwards, _"But maybe I'd like to be."_ "What kind of question is that? Come on."

"Okay, just making sure. Can't have a queer-lover as the captain of the basketball team, you know?"

"Yeah," Tyler replied hollowly, suddenly wishing he was anywhere else. "I know."

 

Red. Josh's new hair was a bright, blazing _red_.

And Tyler had hoped and prayed that the almost mindless "nice hair, Dun" he had thrown over his shoulder while passing Josh in the hallway sounded sarcastic. Sounded harsh.

(It didn't.)

He knew why it had come off as sincere, as light and almost pleasant: because he had originally intended it that way.

Fuck.

And of course people noticed. Of course they did. Because if he wasn't making Joshua Dun feel like shit, something just _had_ to be off, right?

To make matters ~~better~~ worse, it had clearly (and correctly) translated to Josh himself as a genuine compliment, and the proof was in his shy, taken aback smile.

He, Tyler Joseph, had made Joshua William Dun _smile_.

And he had enjoyed every second of it.

It was the aftermath that he had to be concerned about.

"What the hell was that, Tyler?"

"God, his gay is rubbing off on you or something."

"I threw up a little in my mouth."

Three words. He had only said three words.

 

"This table looks a little abandoned, Dun. May I-?"

"Um, well that's- if you want to, go... Go right ahead," Josh spluttered out, face flushed and mortified by the end. "Sure, is what I meant. Sure."

"I know you're asthmatic, but it wouldn't kill you to breathe once in awhile between sentences," Tyler chuckled harmlessly as he took a seat.

And, for fuck's sake, Josh couldn't help but laugh a light laugh at that. 

Believe it or not, they were bashfully quiet for the most part, mainly because they weren't entirely sure how to interact without hating each other at the same time.

But they weren't completely silent - Josh had mumbled a shy "thank you" after Tyler, noticing he was struggling with getting the cap off of his water bottle, had held out his hand with a soft, "Give it here, Dun."

He did, and the cap was twisted off within moments.

Of course, the words _"why are you here?"_ were sitting behind Josh's teeth the entire time, though he didn't dare let them out.

He settled on something less blunt, but to-the-point nonetheless: "Why aren't you sitting with the basketball team today?"

A pause. The nervous tapping of feet beneath the cafeteria table. "I dunno. Just didn't feel like it today, I guess."

Josh just nodded, said "okay," and they spent the rest of their lunch in a hushed dream.

 

"Leave him alone."

Another three words he wouldn't regret, but still pay for in the end.

Heads turned and eyebrows rose and mouths opened in disbelief, but he didn't care because he was sick of it.

"What was that, Tyler?" The ~~question~~ confrontation had caution tape all over it, but once again: he was sick of it.

"You heard me. Leave Josh alone."

Josh.

_Josh._

**_J o s h_**.

"Ohh, I get it. I see what's going on here, Tyler." A pointer finger jabbing at his chest cavity. "I see it. You're-"

"Give him his stuff back," Tyler cut off his teammate coldly. " _Now_."

"You know what? No." And then textbooks were being shoved into his arms. "Why don't _you?_ "

Everyone was watching. Waiting.

Including Josh, who was staring at him helplessly with his back against the lockers and his trembling lips parted a bit; yearning to speak, to do something, _anything_.

"Okay," Tyler murmured, grip on the textbooks tight, final. "I will."

And those next steps were the surest ones he had taken in his life.

~~Everyone was watching~~.

And his hands didn't shake one bit as he held out the books, grinned, and said, "I believe these belong to you?"

An anticipating hush, and then,

"Well, I..." Josh's fingers closed around his belongings, and he smiled back softly. "Yeah. Thank you, Ty... ler. Tyler. _Thank you._ "

"You're very welcome."

Three more words, five more syllables, and he didn't regret any of it as they walked side-by-side to period five.

 

"Hey, Josh, are you an asthma attack? 'Cause you take my breath away."

"Oh my god, sto- _op_ ," Josh groaned, huffing helplessly as his boyfriend rested his chin on his thigh. "Hello, genius, trying to study here?"

"No offense, asthma boy, but did you _really_ think that you could successfully study in my house, in my room, just the two of us- the door locked?"

"Do you want me to fail English?" Josh muttered, though he weakened a little when Tyler nuzzled his thigh fondly, practically purring. "If I bomb this test because of you-"

"It would've been worth it," came the smug conclusion.

"Just like quitting the basketball team?"

" _Exactly_."

The notes (and studying altogether) were abandoned in order to sprawl out on the bed, Tyler's head coming to rest on Josh's soft stomach as Josh ran his fingers fondly through short brown hair.

And it was then that Tyler decided to murmur three more, unregrettable words:

 

_"I love you."_


End file.
